A Trip To The British Library

About three years ago I came across a book on Amazon that I really needed for some research, but with it being over £50 I was put off a little bit. I thought it would inevitably end up back on the site for sale at a lower price so I waited. And waited. And waited. 

The book I was after was called "An Idea Conquers The World" the autobiography of Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, the architect and leader of the Pan-European project that would ultimately become the European Union. The thing that most interested me however was the fact that the introduction was written by none other than Winston Churchill. 

I have a bit of a passion for history, particularly when it comes to dispelling falsehoods - and this book I felt might contain many missing pieces of the puzzle surrounding European politics of the early 20th century and the causes for WWII. 

Despite periodically searching the internet for the book or snide PDF copies, I couldn't find it anywhere, so I finally got registered at the British Library and took out one of the few copies that are available for public reading across the whole country. Unfortunately its not possible to borrow from the British Library, and you have to sit in the reading rooms to go through it, an somewhat odd first experience for me.

I won't go into details about what was gleaned from the book, but there was a significant amount amazing information contained within it that I will cover in the not too distant future.

After I left the library in the winter darkness, I thought I'd walk and capture some shots from London with the camera, so these few snaps below were taken throughout the day.

The view from near Fenchurch St Station.

Some horrific looking building across the road from Moorfield's eye hospital.
The number of these modern looking high-rise buildings that have sprung
up over the past five years or so made me loose my bearings a numebr of times.

The Royal Courts of Injustice, not an ominous looking building at all! 

"The George" pub across the street from the Royal Court.

Not sure why I took this one, I was trying to capture the bus with the tall
buildings behind, would have worked better with a more zoomed lens but I
only have the stock 18-55mm lens at the moment.

"The Shard"

A walkway heading towards Tower Bridge.

Not the best photography I've ever done, but I am slowly getting back into the hobby once more, and getting a feel for what shots work is half the battle.